God Like You: Der Nacht Lied
by ChocolateCarnival
Summary: The Kurosaki family was birthed two very special twins seventeen years ago on the 15th of July; a perfect pair that was considered the Yin and Yang of power and command. Only, their life has been wracked with tragedy and loss for many years, leaving behind few bonds which they could rely upon for comfort. Now the rise of the Quincy King can change everything for them.Warning:Yaoi.
1. Prologue: The Songs Of The Night

Right, my honeys. This is a **surprise update** and a **surprise story** that I just had to write because its plot is just too sweet and it literally overwhelmed me yesterday. I apologize that Winter's Eternal Love's first chapter will be push back a bit on my update list but we'll see how it goes. It is a Multi-chapter fic so its update can wait for a little while after all. This however, will not.

The tilte: God Like You: Der Nacht Lied (The Night Song)

There are quite a few **important warnings** for this story, so please **heed them now**. **Also, these notes need to be read because otherwise the story will not make sense. **This story is going to be replacing Daddy's Little Demon at the moment because I'm stuck with it at the present time. Other than that:

**Please read:** This is a **set pairing** between **Yhwach x Kurosaki Ichigo x Kurosaki Yuichi (Quincy!Ichigo)**. **Yuichi (****雄一****)** {which means 'brave first son'} is **NOT an OC**. He is another part of Ichigo, making this story **partial self-cest** and **twin-cest because Yuichi is Ichigo's twin in this fic**. **He is a pureblood Quincy**, having inherited that portion of his mother's powers whilst **Ichigo is not a complete Shinigami in this fic**. His powers are centred around the **Fullbringer concept ALONG with his dual Zangetsu. **

**How** his powers work will be **explained in detail next chapter** because I haven't gotten to Ichigo's introspective part on him and Yuichi's history and so on yet. Please be a little patient with me, this story has a startling plot that is very big and long and very detailed. For now though, it's just the prologue. I had a bit too much fun writing Yhwach but it has just established an opening into this story.

**The warnings for this is:** **M/M** (Established twin-cest between Yuichi x Ichigo), **Angst**, **Dark fic**, **Violence, M/M/M set pairing between Yhwach x Kurosaki Ichigo x Kurosaki Yuichi**, **Sort-of Good!Quincy**, **Evil!Soul Society**, **lemon content**, **Incest** and **partial Self-cest** considering that Yuichi is written as a separate part of 'Ichigo'.

So there you have it my honeys! Now that that is out of the way, I hope that you enjoy.

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**_Prologue: The Songs of The Night:_**

_Rising from the ashes of darkness, claiming the right to a once revered throne and reigniting a forgotten existence was only a privilege afforded to gods. Something many have failed to achieve and were left to drown in the bitter despair of their defeat instead. It remains a lingering possibility for one individual arising from a world of pure shadow to attain it, though. As it has been sung for many generations that after nine-hundred years a Sealed King would awaken from his eternal sleep to regain a pulse, after ninety he would reclaim his intellect to create a shadowed army standing by his side and nine years after that...he would once more possess unparalleled power at the command of his fingertips.  
A startling claim to the fundamental construction of the world and the dark promise that looms ever more in the obscurity of the world..._

_So, let the breath of __**true**__ fear into the core of all unforgivable souls..._

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Late one autumn afternoon the burning sun was setting alight a colourful miasma of softening pinks, fading yellows, glowing magentas and vivid reds that were stained with the looming presence of lingering clouds and the expanding shadows of the coming night. A complex construction of districts, intricate streets and modern labyrinths had become the sole unsightly image of the twenty-first century, bustling, town situated on the outskirts of Tokyo. Where the fast rolling storm clouds though, were rightfully greying its unnatural brightness as two unnoticed figures hovered in the eventide's shadows almost as if the sky was solid beneath booted feet. Sharp dark eyes were gazing at Karakura Town with pure disgust, finding no beauty in the modernity of the world as the imposing form allowed a heavy sigh to spill past pale lips in sheer irritation. There was an intricate uniform of white settled imposingly across a tall frame, a fluttering blood red cloak reaching for the heels of booted feet as the Quincy King Yhwach glared at the human souls scrambling restlessly below his feet to get out of the way of the coming rain.

'Remind me again, Haschwalth _why_ you dragged me out of the Silbern(1*) Fortress for this? You know that I cannot leave the Schatten Bereich(2*) for more than two hours at the time every twenty four hours untill my power settles down. I'd rather not stare at a world that has no meaning to me when I can plot the devastation of our enemies.' A rumbling baritone reprimanded sternly, an array of dark locks reaching for the dip in the King's spine as it danced behind him almost as if sensing his deep annoyance and he crossed his arms in the imposing image of unrestrained command to those under his rule. The long blonde haired man standing by his side, slightly finer in build and possessing a much less frightening presence, turned stoic blue eyes upon his Heika(3*) with a reassuring smile that was brushed with pure self-satisfaction. 'You are going to want to see this, Heika. You've tasked me with finding a worthy 'living' Quincy to carry on your power and will, yes? Well, I've found them. One of our high level Arrancar encountered the pair a few days ago, the one Hollow that vanished from our sensors without a trace mere minutes after being deployed here in Karakura.'

'I thought I told you that you're supposed to be looking for the gemischt (4*) child of the Ishida line. He is in this town is he not?' Dark eyes narrowed abruptly, the light of the sun reflecting off of fathomless orbs that glittered a deep and unreadable blue which could almost be likened to the black of midnight. 'And what do you mean by 'them'? I'm not here to play games with you, B. I have many other things to do. There should only one person to extend our invitation to.' Yhwach noted irritably, a frown furrowing dark brows when there were several moments of silence between them after that. When a school's ringing bell cut through the uncomfortable quiet though, the ancient soul reluctantly turned his attention to the happy laughter of children and the unbearable shouts these days' adolescence seemed to make everywhere that they went. He was getting more than a little irritated now, his second-in-command had been very secretive these last few days and today just _proved_ that Haschwalth knew something that his Heika didn't. And the Quincy King did not like that very much.

He was an ancient being, hailing from a time period more than a thousand years before and being played with like this was not something that he particularly enjoyed. He was still struggling to comprehend the modern human world around him, not quite ready to face its wild and vivid life as it became a torrent of confusion to his still mending senses. It was even causing the older being to shudder at the vast spread of astoundingly weak souls below him,_ forcing_ him to acknowledge that most of the children here possessed a minute trace of reiatsu of varying strengths that were all vying for his attention with every second that ticked by. And the more that they became, the more the King reeled at the intensity of the sensations. It was almost likened to a horde of ants, scrambling without aim upon their path of life. It was pitiful, _beneath_ his attention as the Emperor and father to the Quincy race closed his eyes absently to recollect his wavering and drifting thoughts. He had other plans to accomplish after all, plans that would drag the self righteous Shinigami, who had so wrongfully seated themselves upon the throne of existence, down a few pegs. It had become his duty, after all, to set the world right―.

'Please be patient, Your Majesty. You'll be able to sense them in a moment.' A lilting tenor called in gentle appeasement, startling Yhwach from his thoughts just as he was about to demand who the hell 'they' were. Haschwalth was _stubbornly_ silent that afternoon for some reason though, not wanting to divulge even an indication as to why he had brought the Quincy King out here in the first place. That was until the long brown haired man was startled by an overwhelming caress of power swirling against the edges of his soul in a heady, near pleasurable, rush. Dark eyes instantly flicked downwards, searching for the one eclipsing power that was mixed in with a horde of students escaping Karakura High's restrictive walls that afternoon. One, no, there were _two_ distinctive reiatsu that he could sense; he was sure of that now. Each was a little different than the other but it was the startling similarity and contradicting contrast that they shared which momentarily threw the Quincy King for a loop and boggled his mind completely. The subtle united pulse that they gave off was creating sheer havoc against Yhwach's soul, breaking in a torrent of command across shivering skin almost as if the two indiscernible beings had_ already_ sensed his presence here.

The long haired King could just about perceive the most startling of the two powers, the one that was stealing his sole attention as it rose and fell with a settled and fairly calm rhythm of sheer magnitude and beautiful control. The other reiatsu though, the one that was ragged, sparking with electricity and completely uncontained had captivated his senses for an entirely different reason all together. That one was so _dark_ and _overwhelmingly_ shadowed that he was sure it would be enough to eclipse the sun if it were to be properly set free from its master's skin. And the other, the one that was so familiar to Yhwach's that it could be likened to his _own_ power was so _light_ and _pure_ that it was enough to illuminate a midnight sky for miles on end without a single trail of shadow ever surviving its enveloping touch. _Both_ of those reiatsu held such uncontained strength, such pulsing vitality and even though they were an unusual concept of oppressive opposites; it was almost if they fit together like a puzzle piece carved by the hands of a god. It was the perfect representation of yin and yang, of dark and light, the sun to the moon and ultimately...a Quincy and a Hollow.

He had never felt anything like it before, it was almost as if standing in their mere presence alone was an utterly unexpected pleasurable experience for his very soul; leaving the Emperor to draw in increasing excited breaths the more that time seemed to pass. Yhwach had nearly forgotten to keep a tight reign clamped around his own power just so that he didn't instinctively reach out to them though, the brown haired being frowning deeply when he caught a glimpse of movement to his right and Haschwalth opened a gateway into Hueco Mundo beside him. Luring a Hollow into the depths of the Human World without his consent, the Quincy was just about to reprimand his subordinate for placing so many innocents in danger, especially considering that the Hollow he brought out was a lower ranking Gillian Arrancar which they had salvaged from Hueco Mundo for their own army. He didn't get very far in his words however, a rare smile tugging at Haschwalth's lips the moment that the intrigued Emperor _finally_ noted the two figures who stilled several feet below him at the Hollow's recognizable presence. They were already strategically separating themselves from their peers, disappearing into an empty alleyway with a flicker of bright orange just as the King felt his reality slipping away from around him.

His blonde haired subordinate was quietly conversing with the Arrancar, giving it several intricate instructions but Yhwach just couldn't find it in himself to care about what was going on. He knew instinctively what his second in command was doing and judging by the sheer scope of power present in those _two_ souls, the blue eyed Quincy had just about sacrificed the fallen creature obeying them before the fight had truly begun. The King's eyes were riveted to the ground instead, watching intently as two heads of bright orange locks emerged from the abandoned alleyway before a distinctive change began to take place in that rested reiatsu in a powerful rush. It was as if they were building on it, sharing a flood of power between them as one second passed, two, five, six by the eighth second...Yhwach had found more than just his interest peaked. He was utterly spellbound, quietly observing the two forms that leapt into the sky with a well practised ease that spoke of many years of practice. They were using the elevated terrain to rush across the heavenly planes, moving in the shadows of clouds to conceal their notable forms from watching eyes as they implemented two very different techniques and sources of strength to execute their high speed movement.

And they were not the clumsy movements of the inexperienced, they knew _exactly_ what it was that they were doing. The Quincy King could barely tell the two apart, even when the distance separating him from them was closing quickly. The two souls were racing towards their Hollow opponent, seeking out the danger that was already advancing in the direction of the High School grounds that were below them. They had good instincts though, very protective for children who could not be more than seventeen years of age. But more than that, Haschwalth had been very clever in the execution of this plan. The Arrancar was luring both souls away from the range of the high school, deliberately leading them towards the less noticeable forest on the outskirts of Karakura so that the Heika could remain unseen and undetected in his intensely focused observations. Sharp dark eyes were following them step for step eagerly, finally beginning to understand a little more of them now that the two beings were drawing closer and he could properly discern their appearance. They were identical twins, that he could be more than sure of and the only way he could tell them apart at the moment was by the length of vibrant orange locks and the different forms of power they possessed.

The presence that he had been able to attach to the 'dark' reiatsu so headily before was gliding across the air in a yet to be seen technique that was causing swirls of bright light to curl around constantly moving feet. His form was fast, blurring out of existence as the teen possessing a spiky array of messy orange locks moved ahead of his twin that was lingering a few split seconds behind him with a technique that was much more familiar to the Quincy King. Such a beautifully executed hirenkyaku (5*) was difficult to find amongst even the top most tier of his purebloods, leaving the older being to take in the child possessing a cascading torrent of orange locks (in a contrast to his brother's) that was reaching for thin hips as it trailed like a wave of sheer silk behind him. They were both dressed in the school's uniform, tight grey pants clinging to long legs as a tight dark blue t-shirt, settled beneath the 'dark' teen's loose form-fitting blazer, displayed a lithe and well sculpted form. His long orange haired twin remained fairly 'neat' however, with his blazer still closed and curling evocatively over a slightly taller frame.

_He_ could not be mistaken as anything but a Quincy and an exceedingly powerful one at that. He was rivalling the intensity of all of the King's 'children' before he had tracked them down, becoming something that Yhwach did not want to let go of now that he had found it. It was his short haired brother though, that intrigued the Emperor the most. There was something wrong with that one's soul, he could sense a touch of innate Shinigami in him...along with an astounding array of overwhelming powerful Hollow reiatsu that was trailing in pitch black torrents behind him. By now an intrigued frown was furrowing across dark brows deeply, the Quincy King gazing intently at the short orange haired being as he came to a halt several seconds later when their opponent stilled to face them. Petal pinks lips were moved to say something to his twin, causing a delighted grin to curl beautifully across the 'light' teen's lips as Yhwach was left revelling in the odd sensation that was swirling around the shorter being's form. It was increasing exceptionally, the 'dark' twin reaching his hands to his sides almost as if he was waiting for something or urging it to materialize in the palms of his hands.

The King was left blinking in surprise several seconds later though, when a barely seen light blue bracelet that was curled around a right wrist, became engulfed in a explosion of pitch black reiatsu. A visible curl of reishi was bowing protectively around the teen's form, shielding him from view for several seconds before it evaporated just as quickly as it had come and left behind an astounding image that the observing Quincy would _never_ forget. Clutched in _each_ of the orange haired teen's hands was a blade that was darker than the night and almost carried the same sensation that a Shinigami's Zanpactō did. They were unusually shaped, brimming with power that Yhwach could only roughly translate as a daitō that was as long as its wielder was tall and a smaller wakizashi that was clutched protectively in a left hand. The shorter twin's left eye was covered protectively with the beginnings of a cracked Hollow mask, a long tapering black horn jutting from the side of his head menacingly as he gazed over his shoulder at his twin with a startling, almost childish grin of pride.

There was protective armour in the same dark colour as his dual swords, settled across his chest, calves, arms, and the back of his neck as he abruptly took off ahead of his brother. Leaving the long orange haired mirror image standing in the air as if it was solid beneath steady feet; there was no doubt that the 'light' teen clearly possessed the greater advantage of a ranged weapon as a ray of late afternoon sun glinted off a flicker of silver around the teen's wrist. The Quincy Emperor recognized instantly, dark eyes watching closely as the long haired twin shook his head in amusement and followed his brother's toying attacks as he danced around his valiantly fighting opponent with taunting and surprisingly elegant, graceful, movements for the heaviness that those dual blades and protective armour surely created. His polar opposite though, was reaching his right hand out in front of him. A flash of silver slipping from his sleeve as Yhwach remained spellbound the instant that the long orange haired being brought out the form of his Quincy bow. He could instantly discern that it was well developed, forming a solid state that was reminiscent of the traditional Japanese bows that were still used in modern kyudo (6*). It was coloured just a black as his brother's swords though...

That in itself was unusual as the reishi Quincy absorbed was almost always a pure and light blue in colour, it was almost as if the teen's body was transforming and intensifying its density―.

'Have you seen something that you like, Heika?' A smug voice whispered close to his side, the Quincy King lazily turning his attention away from the twins as he observed his second in command coming to a halt by his side. That smug smile had not yet left the blonde haired man's lips; in fact, he seeming to revel in the spark of intense interest that he had created in his Heika's usually far too deeply focused eyes. Instead, there was a slow burning fire of lust beginning to saturate fathomless and unreadable dark orbs. In that exact moment of time, Yhwach could not keep a deeply satisfied smile from curling across his lips. He was eagerly shifting his attention back to the intense fight, catching it just in time as a spray of blood from a fatal sword wound darkened the air and a loosed black arrow sunk into a nameless Arrancar's heart before any trouble had ever really started. That large black dancing blade came down one more time though, severing the Hollow's ties to existence without hesitation as the Quincy King allowed a tiny amount of his own power to slip passed his control.

He had seen enough, those two hadn't even taken five minutes to dispose of a fairly powerful Arrancar completely...something that intrigued the older being more than ever. Making sure to burn the astounding sight that they made into his very soul, the older being rested his fingertips against an invisible wall as a flood of shadows flowed from his dark red cloak before it slowly but surely enclosed him in darkness. He had thought that he would give a special privilege to the last living 'Quincy' of the Ishida line but now he'd found not only his Prinz des Licht (7*) but his Prinz der Nacht(8*)as well. He had seen something very special, something that he more than liked...he wanted to _possess_ them both. It was far too interisting to let go of, especially since Yhwach couldn't quite figure out how it worked. Two souls, so completely separate in power but still possessing the same tie in their blood that should not warrant such a split in power, was near impossible. At his subordinate's calling voice though, seeking to capture his fading attention once more; the older being allowed an alarming smile to creep across his lips as he stepped forward into the shadows swirling restlessly by his feet.

'I have Haschwalth.' He said absently, turning his back on the orange haired twins for now as a looming shadow seemed to bend over his form protectively but just before his presence disappeared into its depths, he cast his gaze upon Haschwalth one more time. 'Bring them to me, B, willingly and as quickly as you can. I want to know everything that you've found on them. Power like that does not just happen. Also...take care not to let them be discovered. You know that Soul Society does not take well to power like that, especially now that they have started to suspect someone moving in the shadows. They may be strong, but they are vulnerable to the cruelties of _that_ world. Something I'd rather shield the innocent from whilst I still can.'

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1* - Silbern – Is the Quincy Fortress (means Silver in German)

2* - Schatten Bereich – The Shadow Territory

3* - Heika – Your Majesty

4* - Gemischt – Mixed Blood

5* - Hirenkyaku – Quincy form of High Speed Movement

6*- Kyudo – Traditional Japanese Archery, the Yumi (bows) are oddly shaped with a longer top part than a bottom.

7* - Prinz des Licht – Prince of the Light

8* - Prinz der Nacht – Prince of the Night

Wow, so many notes! But it doesn't matter, thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate it, please leave me a little review if you enjoyed it and look forward to more. I would really appreciate that as well. Other than that, I don't think that I can say more. I am having way too much fun with this one.

Next update, you know, will be before my counter runs out on my blog or in 5-6 days. I'm going to have something cold to drink and a warm bath before getting back to bed. Any questions, please don't be afraid to ask, I'll answer them as best as I can.

Yours Always

Chocolate Carnival


	2. Chapter 1: Gazing Into The Shadows

It took a while, but I'm glad that I decided to finish this chapter. I'm not quite sure what my next update it going to be but we'll see, I have a lot that I want to do and need to do so I'm not going to be making any promises of what you'll be able to see next. This chapter is **quite dark**, just as it is the background for the plot and what's to come. **God Like You is a very intricate story**, with a very intricate plot that I need to explore.

This is **only the beginning**, the establishment of my 'established' twin-cest between Yuichi and Ichigo and the details of how Ichigo's powers work. It also contains a lot about the twins' past that is crucial to the reason why they will willingly fall over to the Quincy side. As I said, **Soul Society is evil** in this **but the Quincies aren't little angels either**. Ichigo's power is a lot darker than what is written in canon so you can expect quite a bit of carnage and heavy emotions between him and 'Zangetsu'.

From next **chapter Yhwach will be officially joining the pairing to make it Yhwach x Kurosaki Ichigo x Kurosaki Yuichi **as well becoming a mentor to them. A lot more will be written from his perspective as well so please don't worry, it won't be too long untill everything falls into place. I just needed to establish everything first before getting to all the good stuff. For now though, please enjoy the chapter...there are a few warnings:

This chapter contains: **M/M lime**, **Twin-cest**, a **different** **outlook on Ichigo's powers**, a **huge twist** on the **Canon Bleach Plot**, **Evil!Soul Society **and **partial** **self-cest**. **Yuichi is NOT an OC**, he is written as a **Quincy!Ichigo**. It is an **AU story** that has a lot of **Canon facts** and will be **containing spoilers** for the newer chapters of Bleach as well.

Other than that, it's time I hand it over to you. If I get enough encouragement I may post Chapter 2 for my next update instead of moving on to another story...I kind of lost myself in this story and I'm not ready to leave it's warm embrace quite yet.

For now though, please enjoy:

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**Chapter 1: Gazing Into The Shadows**

'Let it go, Otouto (1*).' A soothing baritone breathed against the shell of a dainty ear commandingly. Forcing dazed golden eyes, bathed in a sea of black sclera, to blink open lazily at the enveloping warmth that wrapped around his waist from behind; an unbalanced Ichigo instinctively leant into strong arms comfortingly as a shaky breath of unsettled emotion tumbled passed petal pink lips several seconds later. Absently swiping a pink tongue across a full bottom lip, a flicker of silver displayed the bold ring piercing its slick surface before a soft moan of pure contentment lodged itself in the back of the teen's throat when a sly, _teasing_, hand expertly crept up his torso to brush against his cheek soothingly. Eventually swiping away several droplets of blood that were left over from their battle, the orange haired teen jerked back in surprise when an unexpected grip wrapped firmly around the long tapering black horn that was jutting dangerously from the side of head. Crying out in both surprise and pain at the tightening fingers, the several minute younger Kurosaki twin whimpered softly when it felt like his brother was about to snap the extremely sensitive appendage in half with his touch alone.

'Yu-nii!' Ichigo cried hoarsely, shuddering deeply at the flash of intense pain echoing inside his head as it created an uncomfortable sting against the back of his eyes. 'S-stop it! YUICHI! It h-hurts, damn it!' Ichigo yelled in exasperation, the flickering lights dancing erratically by his feet suddenly vanishing from sight as his sole attention became focused around his brother's taller frame that was wrapped so protectively around him. The older teen had by now skilfully constructed a platform of hardened reishi beneath the both of them, keeping a steadying arm wrapped securely around his little brother's waist as he provided a counterbalance the moment that the younger orangette brought himself back from the depths of darkened battle lust. Tanned skin was already prickling with the touch of his brother's flaring reiatsu, Ichigo struggling valiantly to bring himself back to reality with only his twin's steady but strong presence as a much needed catalyst of relief. He was fighting _hard_ for it, though; even through the floating bliss that enclosed the entirety of his soul and made it so difficult to concentrate on anything besides the needy and pleasurable warmth brewing deeply in the pit of his stomach.

'F-fuck!' He cursed abruptly, a spinning mind stuck in a rush of overwhelming sensations that _every_ particularly enjoyable fight had the ability to create within him. Ichigo _hated_ it, though. He was _always_ driven into a near incoherent state of pure instinct when his rampaging powers had not produced the desired carnage deemed worthy of _true_ satisfaction. Several rivulets of cooling blood was dripping slowly and rhythmically from the tips of two Zangetsus, glazed golden eyes following a red path as they tumbled to the Human World far below his feet and eventually vanished from sight. Ichigo could have sworn that he _felt_ them however; his soul so sensitized and alert that it was as if _he_ was the blade and the blood was licking at_ his_ essence with an increasingly intense need for _more_. It was throwing a lazy fog of rapture over a surprisingly calm heartbeat, the seventeen-year-old's world distorting around him as Yu-nii's hip length orange locks brushed calmingly against his cheek and tumbled over their closely pressed shoulders comfortingly. Ichigo's chest was still heaving erratically for faded breaths, erotic whimpers spilling from petal pink lips as the _true_ source of the younger orangette's power, lashing in purring contentment against his very soul, saturated heating veins with an electrified need for _more_ power, more blood, more pleasure...more―.

'Let it go, Ichigo.' That soothing voice sang again, breathing a lilting lullaby meant to ease a fractured mind as warm lips whispered against the back of his head in sweet and heady affection. 'My sweetest Otouto, my eternal beloved...let_ him_ go. I'm behind you, Ichi. Do not be afraid, I'll always protect you. You can let them go now...' Shuddering deeply at the warm puffs of air that caressed the shell of a dainty ear, a slow spread of pink tinted pale cheeks as the younger of the two twins abruptly crashed down from the overwhelming reiatsu high that releasing this state wove and bound so irrevocably to his soul. Bringing to light the startling consequence that Ichigo always experienced when he had not released all his pent up reiatsu in a clash of swords, two restless blades were practically vibrating with sheer tension and uncontrolled power in his hands. And slyly, the Hollow part of Ichigo's soul, was fighting with the smaller Shinigami part that he had inherited from his father at birth. But no matter _how_ desperately the he strived to create the normal balance of power within himself again, he knew that he _needed_ his twin's steady flow of controlled reiatsu to calm the very core of his existence.

'Breathe, little brother, just breathe and let your power go.' When caressing fingertips traced the shape of a black horn from base to tapering tip several times, a shuddering exhale became the small prelude to a deafening crack that sounded through the air seconds later. Resealing the source of Ichigo's powers so that only a light blue bracelet was left around his wrist, the short orange haired teen gazed dazedly at the thick black smoke that evaporated into nothing and left behind no trace of black armour or his dual black blades. It was almost as if his powers had vanished in an instant; newly revealed chocolate brown eyes fluttering half-mast at his twin's praising whisper echoing inside his head and the warm lips that pressed soothingly against the side of his head for a moment of reprieve. Balancing himself in the air with his own power now, Ichigo eagerly turned around in Yuichi's embrace so that he could gaze into his twin's eyes and offer his own words of gratitude. He was quickly forced to trail off though, pressing his forehead against a steady shoulder to conceal the flush of pure embarrassment colouring his cheeks when Yuichi's sharp pale blue eyes pinned him with an all knowing and reprimanding glare.

'You've been holding back, Ichi. Why?' Remaining stubbornly silent to conceal his own shame, the orange haired teen shivered abruptly when warm fingers curled restrictively around his right hand and Yuichi's steady leaps through the air lead them back down towards the ground without mercy. Yu-nii always made it look so easy, Ichigo thought sadly. Controlling his vast array of Quincy power with such precision that it left his twin uneasy to compare himself to his brother's magnitude of strength and sheer, _overwhelming_, reiatsu. The older of the two had always been the steady one, the one to provide Ichigo a guiding hand and the reassurance that he was not so alone when his soul was constantly trying to balance out the two opposites of power he had inherited from his mother and father alike. Their beloved mother and sole surviving parent, Kurosaki Masaki, was a pureblood Quincy and a very powerful one at that. She had stood in line to carry on the Ishida bloodline untill her soul had been tainted by a strange and overwhelmingly powerful Hollow twenty years before. That fated day however, her eternal kindness and gentle demeanour had saved the life of a stray Shinigami Captain...the very man that would become the twins' loving father three years later.

Ichigo didn't know much about his beloved Tou-chan though; something that he regretted more than anything but considering that he had been nine years old when the older Shinigami had been mercilessly killed by his own kind, there couldn't be much of a surprise. What Ichigo did know however, was that Shiba Isshin had been a very good man whilst he had been alive. A loving and doting father to his two sons when the times had called for it and a soothing presence to still the unease in his youngest son's soul when Ichigo had struggled to control his unstable powers even back then. Shiba Isshin had been one of a kind, a gentle being that, in the end, had not been able to escape the cruelties of his own kin. His death eight years ago, to this month, had more than traumatized his youngest son...it had become the sole reason _why_ Ichigo had turned to the dark existence within his soul to protect those whom he loved. And as a result, the youngest Kurosaki twin had made a deal with the devil three years ago. A deal with his Zanpactō that had now become the source of his _true_ power. The only problem was that the main soul attached to the larger portion of his twin Zangetsu, was a pure and ruthless Hollow that simply refused to be easily controlled.

Shiro Zangetsu was the power source that tied Ichigo's human body and partial Shinigami soul to a blue bracelet made out of Isshin's Zanpactō tassels, a strange collaboration of powers that fused the embodiment of his Hollow and Shinigami parts and allowed him to materialize two deadly blades by his side when he needed them. Ichigo had once belonged to a group called Xcution, even though his power named the 'Dual Wield' had never truly been explainable to anyone. They had only passed through here about a year ago though, on the run from Shinigami and had imparted some of their knowledge for utilizing his Fullbring powers to a better advantage before leaving not long after. He hadn't heard anything from Ginjo and others again but over the last year, Ichigo had begun to understand that he had inherited the entire taint that had been present in his mother's soul. Where, in a strange twist of fate, the youngest twin had practically dragged the Hollow existence right out of Masaki's soul whilst she had passed down her more stable powers to her firstborn, Yuichi. For years now though, Ichigo had struggled to settle the flow of his unbalanced soul and when he didn't have an outlet in either pleasure or power...he could be physically affected at the end of every clash of swords like now.

'How many times have I _told_ you that you need to come to me when Zangetsu starts to stir too much, Ichigo!' Forcing his younger twin up against the wall of an abandoned alleyway, Yuichi hissed in strain when he felt his beloved's uncontrolled power licking irritably at his skin. Leaving Ichigo's mind reeling when haunting blue eyes pinned him with a reprimanding glance of deep and _unsettled_ concern; the younger of the two could only watch dazedly as a beautiful sprawl of hip-length orange locks swayed restlessly behind a strong back and his brother's usually calm and stoic features were drawn into an expression of sheer disquiet and startling emotion. Warm palms almost instantly curled around his wrists, gently leading Ichigo to lean his back against a sturdy wall before a strong thigh slipped between parted thighs and the messy orangette was prompted to regain his equilibrium with hitching breaths and shuddering sensations again. The world was swimming in dizzying circles around him, Ichigo not even able to remember _how_ he had gotten there as he remained deeply aware of tanned skin that was on fire and a lazy fog of rapture that had clouded over the entirety of his senses.

There was also a dark flush colouring his cheeks, a small moan lodging itself in the back of his throat when his brother leaned closer to press their foreheads together and a deep frown furrowing Yuichi's tangerine brows. Forcing chocolate brown eyes to clench shut in shame, Ichigo fell back against the wall for support as a strange noise of bliss tumbled passed his panting breaths and he bowed his back in a restless need for pleasure. 'I-I'm sorry, Yu-nii...Yu-nii...please...I just couldn't last night...not this week when...' Spilling a splay of long orange strands over the older being's shoulder when he leaned forward protectively, the younger teen felt his eyes fluttering open to discern the light of understanding that swirled warmly in his twin's beautiful pale blue orbs. Yuichi's soft sigh eventually tickled across reddened cheeks, brushing warmly against petal pink lips before gentle fingertips cupped a flushed cheek in the palm of a steady hand and Ichigo entangled an array of lengthy orange locks in his restless grip. He was desperately pulling his taboo beloved closer to him, clawing at the back of a grey and red blazer to ground himself as dazed brown eyes frantically searched his twin's stoic features for any form of _ true_ disappointment.

He didn't find anything though, there was only a touch of exasperated concern flickering in expressive eyes before he was forced to abandon his thoughts in lieu of arching back in pleasure when Yuichi shifted a strong thigh against his twin's hardening arousal and shot a rush of pure, _dancing_ bliss across highly sensitive skin. Ichigo instantly cried out, turning his head to the side so that a messy array of orange bangs could tumble into mortified eyes before he eagerly rocked into the rising pleasure as playful teeth tugged on the six black loop earrings that were pierced in the shell of his right ear one by one. 'Hn...Beloved Otouto, punishing yourself for Otou-san's death again, _this_ is why I worry about you so much, Ichigo.' Whimpering softly when cool fingertips slipped beneath the hem of a black shirt, the darker of the twins shuddered near uncontrollably when a sly tongue slipped inside his ear canal for an unexpected caress and flipped his stomach upside down. Causing the orange haired teen to shudder in tensed anticipation, Ichigo groaned softly as a tongue ring pressed coolly against his pulse point and Yuichi eventually brought himself closer so that he could entwine their forms in a more intimate embrace against the wall.

'Should I punish you for ignoring your crucial needs, Otouto?'

'Nnngh! Nii-san..._please_...h-help me...Yu-nii...please...I―.' Silenced abruptly when warm lips slid sensually over his own, Ichigo couldn't find it in himself to care that he was losing his mind to the depths of Zangetsu's falsely induced pleasures. And when a scorching hot tongue soon followed the erotic slide of warm lips, the seventeen-year-old moaned deeply in bliss as Yu-nii entwined their tongues in an intimate dance of pure satisfaction and brewing contentment. His entire world was grinding to a halt around him by now, time flitting away from his grasp as the messy orange haired twin felt an explosion of rapture igniting dizzyingly through his veins with every agonizingly slow second that passed. It was consuming the entirety of his soul in a fire of want, Yuichi's more controlled reiatsu sinking headily into shivering skin as knowing fingertips trailed a fire of pure sensation up a clothed torso and tugged at a pierced nipple through the fabric of a black t-shirt. 'He must have sunk his claws in you _deep_, Ichigo, if you are already begging me like this. I'm going to have to be quick with this though, Okaa-san is most likely waiting for us to return.' Brushing soft orange strands away from a sweaty forehead, Yuichi pressed a lulling kiss to the centre of furrowed brow to settle the unease of his twin's soul.

'You are going to have to make this up to me later, Otouto. Next time I won't forgive you if you don't come to me when he gets too much. I don't want to fight my brother when he loses control and I _don't_ want to see you consumed by the demon inside of you.' Leaning the back of his head against a harsh brick wall at those profound words, Ichigo blinked lazily through the sprawl of messy orange locks descending into his eyes and curious chocolate orbs followed the glint of afternoon light that bounced off of a saliva string still connecting their tongues intimate. It snapped not long after that, Yuichi placing some more distance between their faces before he pressed his forehead against Ichigo's shoulder to provide a grounding touch. Ichigo only barely had a second to remember the dangers his brother was warning him about, bringing to mind the time that his Hollow has consumed his soul and he had nearly levelled this town, before he was forced to breathe out a shaky sigh when cool fingertips slipped towards the zipper in his grey pants and toyed with the button in contemplation. In response, the younger Kurosaki curled his arms around the back of his twin's neck and clenched fistfuls of hip-length long orange locks between trembling fingertips.

'Yuichi...please don't tease...I can't take it!' Ichigo yelled in frustration, a bottom lip caught between gnawing teeth as Yuichi wasted no time in undoing a grey school uniform and curled a firm grip around the base of a hardened arousal. Barely able to bite back the sudden rise of a reverberating moan, Ichigo brought his own hand towards his lips with practiced ease. Slipping two fingers into the depths of his mouth as an impromptu gag, lust glazed brown eyes fluttered half-mast in pure ecstasy when dragging fingertip set a well practiced rhythm of gifting pleasure and heady influence. Twisting gentle fingernails around the head of Ichigo's arousal before dragging down to curl tighter around the base, the older being fell into a rising pace that repeated the steady process with every rapturous tug of his hand and warning teeth that dug playfully into the skin of a tanned neck. Revelling in the muffled sounds of pleasure that he could drag from his brother's throat, Yuichi whispered sweet encouragements against the shell of a pierced ear as his twin rocked into his touches and vibrant brown orbs clenched shut in pleasured strain. So beautiful though, he thought to himself absently. Pale blue eyes completely mesmerized as Ichigo lost himself to his pleasure and Yuichi was forced to card his free hand through messy orange locks to still the sudden explosion of his beloved's overwhelming rapture.

'Relax, beloved. Let out your voice, Ichigo, please. I want to hear it.' Gently guiding Ichigo's fingertips away from his mouth and capturing them against the wall, Yuichi pressed his lips to a petal pink pair that were parted for rasping breaths and slipped his tongue into the depths of a warm, wet mouth without second thought. Forced to bite back his own groan of sheer want, the older twin easily burned the erotic image that his little brother made into the backs of his eyelids for eternity. Ichigo was gazing into warm pale blue eyes through sensually lowered lids by now, his cheeks flushing a darker red as a single tear of frustrated pleasure fell from curling black lashes and his entire being became saturated with a _deep_, unsatisfied lust of _soul_ deep proportions. It was skittering unrestrained and uncomfortable sensations across a frantically beating heart, the youngest orangette deeply aware that the being living inside of him was slowly calming down as Yuichi's unwavering reiatsu wound protectively around his soul and the blissful rapture that he experienced _finally_ had the ability to bring his mind back from a dark oblivion of ragging and out of control instincts.

'Oh god! Y-Yu..Y-Yu-nii...more...please...so close...Yuichi!' Rambling near incoherently in his pleasure, Ichigo bowed his back in a sensual arch when an overwhelming rush of sensations dug painfully against his heart; enveloping his soul in a scorching heat that was almost too pleasurable to experience as a litany of curses spilled passed his lips and he sought out his twin's steady shoulder to press his forehead against for several moments. He was chanting out a single name over and over again pleadingly, the dazed orange haired seventeen-year-old feeling a tightening coil of rapture threatening to snap were it not for his soul seeking out a harsher push to reach that all welcoming pinnacle of completion inside of him. And, as if reading his mind in a single instant, Ichigo was prompted to wail his release several seconds later when a sharp thumb nail pressed painfully against his slit and the mixed signals of both pain and pleasure forced an uncontained climax to shoot through the very depths of his soul.

'YUICHI!' His reaction was instantaneous; a fractured mind alight with colours, emotions, sensations and a deeply satisfied instinct that blackened his vision and forced icy cold tears to squeeze passed tightly clenched lids. It was a terrifying sensation to experience, just as much as it was pleasurable, Ichigo _knew_. It was enrapturing his senses so completely and overwhelming that it felt as if he was letting his control around Zangetsu slip and lost his entire _existence_ to pure instinct alone. But he couldn't hold back his pleasured cries, couldn't contain his reaction...chocolate brown eyes flashing pure gold in the rays of the afternoon sun before his hearing, sight and sense of touch was completely wiped out but a rush of heady and all encompassing euphoria. Ichigo had found his control again, his beloved twined so closely to him and the only connection to his very soul that could never break...the soul _deep_ tie that bound his entire existence to his twin in thick and unbreakable reishi chains.

**...**

'Has his influence dulled a bit, Ichigo?' Struggling through several ragged breaths to regain the last dregs of his faded control, Ichigo was only vaguely aware of the world swimming back into focus around him as strong arms promptly curled around his waist and carefully guided him to sit down when his legs could no longer support his weight. Shivering softly as gentle fingertips righted his school uniform after Yuichi's pierced tongue had lapped away at the evidence of Ichigo's release, the younger twin leant into the warmth that knelt so protectively in front of him and breathed deeply the moment that his twin twined their fingers together supportively. 'Still trembling, Otouto? You need to calm down, please.' Swiping the pads of a soft thumb beneath chocolate brown eyes gently, the older of the Kurosaki twins wiped away lingering tears as his little brother fought a new and much slower battle to bring him back into the flow of reality again. Ichigo was nodding his answer to Yu-nii's words, though; not quite ready to part petal pink lips to offer a worded answer as he pressed his temple against a strong shoulder and warm fingertips ruffled through messy orange locks soothingly.

'Please collect yourself, Ichi, we need to return home soon.' Sighing softly as a warm baritone curled comfortingly around his form, Ichigo closed his eyes for several moments before his mind slowly picked apart the intense battle they had just completed. 'We'll probably be receiving a visit from the Ishidas later tonight. Uncle Ryuuken is going to want to know what happened after a startling Hollow reiatsu like that just vanishes in our presence.' Shivering softly at the cool breeze that picked up in intensity around them, sated chocolate brown orbs blinked lazily at his brother's taller frame that was pressing their forms so closely together now. Enveloping his awareness in a sense of eternal protection, a halo of pure orange cascaded down a straightened back as it spilled over strong shoulders and tickled Ichigo's neck when the older being rested his chin against the top of his twin's head and shielded the messy orangette from the cold that was becoming much more noticeable. Creating a platform for the shadows of the night when the sun began to sink below the distant horizon, the coming darkness seemed to ebb and flow across the abandoned alleyway as it hid their dark blue and white book bags from sight and concealed even their _own_ forms in a moment of brief isolation.

'Yu-nii?' Humming softly in acknowledgement as he pressed his lips to the centre of a furrowed brow, Yuichi murmured softly in contentment when Ichigo nuzzled the side of his neck and black nailed fingertips twined in the front of a grey and red blazer looking for reassurance. 'Did you feel it?' Frowning in confusion at his twin's querying words, the hip-length orangette blinked in thought as his mind raced through the thousands of possibilities Ichigo could have meant with such an uncharacteristic question. Had he feel what? Ichigo's pleasure? Yes, that he felt almost as his own. In fact, it made Yuichi distinctly aware that he was forced to lock away his own unsated need for now. Was it the unusual strength of the Hollow they had encountered? Or the fact that Arrancar rarely came into Karakura Town? There were so many possibilities to choose from in those moments, that Yuichi struggled to get to the right answer. He had a feeling though that _that _wasn't what Ichigo was asking of him. He must have missed something then. 'Did I feel what, Ichi?' Yuichi asked quietly, seating himself next to Ichigo as pale blue eyes glanced downwards to where his twin was now making himself comfortable against his side and sated chocolate brown orbs gazed up at him through a messy sprawl of spiky orange strands.

'The soul that was watching us? It was very faint, Nii-san but I felt a powerful presence not too far from where we confronted the Hollow.' Tugging a bottom lip between his teeth in thought, the perplexed seventeen-year-old wracked his mind for any truth to Ichigo's statement before he asked for the words to be elaborated when he came up blank. 'I can't really explain it well but it felt like Zangetsu was _drawn_ to the presence. There was a void in that part of the air that carried the same sensation I feel when you materialize your bow. I could have sworn that there was something watching us, though. It was clawing for my attention just beyond the instincts Zangetsu usually awakens when I materialize them.' Humming in curiosity for several seconds, Yuichi curled his arm around a thin waist and shivered unexpectedly when Ichigo crawled into his lap without restraint and straddled one of his propped up thighs fairly intimately. The pale blue eyed Quincy could understand his twin's attachment to him in those moments, though. He was completely unbothered by Ichigo's needy affection, knowing intimately that his twin always felt unsettled when the Hollow portion of his powers sunk its claws so deeply into his soul. But Yuichi also had a feeling that something _else_ had unsettled his brother that afternoon...

This time of year was always difficult for Ichigo; the younger Kurosaki had seen their father die in front of his eyes eight years ago to this week after all. And as a result, the small nine-year-old child from back then had become very reliant upon his brother's steadier presence when he hadn't been able to control his powers or he had needily sought out the eternal comfort that flowed so affectionately between the two of them. Over the years the level of their bond had shifted and intensified to something much deeper, becoming so intimately twined that, till this day, Yuichi was the only one in the world that could ever bring Ichigo back to himself if his Hollow powers took over his soul or he had to force Zangetsu back into submission _for_ his little brother. It wasn't always as easy as he made it look because 'Shiro' Zangetsu, as Ichigo called him, grew more and more uncontained as his Master matured and grew in his spiritual strength. Where, from time to time, the Zanpactō spirit would seek to consume Ichigo's soul for himself. He was the sole reason why Ichigo had to constantly pit his strength against more powerful opponents as time progressed. Because if they weren't powerful _enough_, it was an increasingly difficult struggle to convert Ichigo's 'left over' strength into sexual gratification or something else instead.

The problem was, that if Ichigo didn't have a Quincy's reiatsu to guide him through that process, a being opposite to the one residing in his soul, it would only serve to rile the Zanpactō spirit up even more.

So, Yuichi was left catering to his brother's sometimes _very_ unusual needs. It wasn't something that he'd ever think of as a burden, though; a small smirk curling across pale lips when a barely audible groan of sheer enjoyment spiralled into the air around them and warm, petal pink lips whispered sensually against the side of his neck. The both of them were tied together not only as close brothers, but on a loving, taboo level most of society shied away from and ridiculed as sheer insanity. To them though, it didn't really matter. Yuichi loved Ichigo and Ichigo loved Yuichi...there were no complexities hidden in their motives and no conditions to their love. It was _pure_, _heady_, _simple_ and far more intense than what most lovers ever experienced. Something that the both of them cherished more than anything besides the grounding anchor that their mother's warm presence could provide them outside of their own little twin world. The only time when the hip-length orangette got really angry with his beloved, was when Ichigo tried to push his own needs aside in order to not worry him or he felt unneeded shame because he lost a bit of his precarious self-control.

Ichigo could be so damned stubborn sometimes, he thought darkly. Especially this time of year when their Otou-san's Meinichi (2*) was less than a week away. The youngest Kurosaki had never gotten over the traumatic event that had taken place beside Karakura River on that cold autumn night, never made peace with his emotions or _ever_ stopped blaming himself for what had happened. This was why the older of the two became deeply concerned this time of year when autumn crawled around and the green leaves began to colour different shades of oranges and reds. Yuichi didn't think that Ichigo had ever forgiven Isshin for binding him in up a kido and concealing the nine-year-old's presence from the enemy when he had wanted nothing more than to protect their father with his small little life. Over the years though, Ichigo had began to reveal more and more of what he had seen that night even when he still refused to divulge any true detail of just _how_ their father had died. The Quincy twin would never force the answers out of his partial Shinigami brother in that respect, his beloved was far too sensitive to deal with such emotional and spiritual upsets. Just like he had proven now with his ability to pick up things that even Yuichi couldn't.

A delighted chuckle drifted passed pale lips at that thought, however; lazy fingertips curling restrictively around his twin's wrist in reprimand when Ichigo sought to undo the button of his school blazer and he eventually brought a calloused palm to his lips. Pressing a chaste kiss to the centre of a curling palm, Yuichi rubbed his nose against the light blue bracelet that was settled around Ichigo's right wrist in loving affection. It was made out of what looked like expensive silk twine, two dancing blue tassels laying against a pale wrist that he knew would lengthen several meters the instant that Ichigo's released his powers and called forth his twin Zangetsu to their most powerful state. This was the last tie that they had to their father, the 'calling' source of Ichigo's powers and the only tangible object that proved Isshin had once belonged to the Gotei-13 before he had been hunted down so ruthlessly for abandoning his post and falling in love with a human woman. Leaning into a brief entanglement of tongues when Ichigo curled his arms around the back of his twin's neck, Yuichi observed vibrant chocolate brown eyes gazing at him through sensually lowered lids before he was forced to break their kiss and press his fingers to petal pink lips.

'So beautiful, Otouto.' He murmured softly, caressing a pinked cheek with gentle fingertips before he rested his palm against the centre of the messy orangette's chest. Carefully measuring the flow of his twin's reiatsu, the older teen was relieved to note that it had finally settled down even though it was licking at his palm in excited recognition. Ichigo's power was something that welled up in ragging torrents from within him, it was a reiatsu so great that it had to be bound back by a shady Captain Class exile that lived in this town monthly to protect their family from Soul Society. Sometimes Yuichi wondered just _how_ Ichigo's human body could keep it contained! His little brother was rarely inclined to accept praise on his strength but the Quincy twin was sometimes deeply fearful that those powers would turn on his brother and consume him whole if he wasn't protecting Ichigo from behind. It must be painful though, he thought sorrowfully...never being allowed to shine at his true strength when the short orange haired teen yearned to protect those whom he loved with the entirety of his abilities. But the older of the two had sworn that _one_ day he would make sure his twin could stand by his side with all his strength and they would_ finally_ be able to have their revenge for their father's death.

'Hn, Yuichi...you're drifting away again.' Shuddering abruptly when a sly tongue pressed the ball of a silvery piercing against the side of his neck, the hip-length orangette groaned lowly in his throat as he leaned his head back against the wall in search of his strict self-control again. It was going to be difficult to refuse Ichigo when he was so inclined to 'repay' his pleasure debts, but they really couldn't afford to stay here much longer. 'Nah uh, Otouto.' He reprimanded with a playful glare. 'We're going to have to stop here for today, we have to get home. I said that you can repay me the pleasure later, Ichigo. That means l-a-t-e-r, not now. Besides Okaa-san's going to get worried if we're not home soon.' Eventually urging himself to stand, the older of the two ruffled his fingers through messy orange locks despite the cry of sheer indignation he received and turned his attention to their book bags. He had taken a huge risk in evening out Ichigo's powers that afternoon, he realized. They could have been discovered in their intimate act but it was worth it if he had gotten to hear his beloved's pleasured cries and had simultaneously sealed away the source of his twin's darkness―.

Trailing off in the middle of his thoughts when sharp blue eyes caught sight of a shadow thrown over them from above, he quickly gazed upwards in anxiety just as he caught a glimpse of white and a brush of unfamiliar reiatsu skittered across pale skin. Frowning deeply as pale blue eyes zeroed in on a white cloaked form and a trail of long blonde hair before the figure vanished into the growing shadows; the eldest Kurosaki twin hummed absently in thought when he could have sworn he had just felt the brush of his kin's power. That was weird, Ichigo had just been telling him that he had sensed a 'void' presence earlier and now it was he that had sensed the flicker of a Quincy presence when there were only supposed to be three other Quincies in this town. Three Quincies that he should have been able to tell apart by the faintest trace of their reiatsu alone. Forced to push his thoughts into the back of mind when Ichigo passed him his book bag, the Kurosaki twins began to make their way home not long after that. Yuichi didn't spare the strange incident any further thought though, his beloved twining their fingertips together warmly as the streets emptied of people and their shoulders brushed together comfortingly with every step.

It would seem that nothing else would ever matter in those moments of sweet, affectionate bliss where the world could not interfere and it was just the two of them...

'Tadiama (3*), Okaa-san! I'm sorry we're a bit late but we're not hurt, I promise!' Stepping inside the foyer of the Kurosaki household after having called out his greeting, Ichigo quickly removed his shoes by the front door just as he heard a light hearted voice returning his call several seconds later. Judging by the direction of the call and the addicting scent that curled throughout the depths of their familiar home already, the messy orange haired teen could already tell that Kurosaki Masaki had started on dinner and had locked up the clinic for the night. He smiled softly in anticipation, throwing a brief glance over his shoulder when Yuichi followed behind him with a more sedate pace seconds later and locked the front door with a quiet click. Leaving his twin behind when a pale hand waved him onwards, Ichigo transversed the polished wooden floors with light footed steps and headed directly towards the kitchen. He simply couldn't hold himself back anymore, whatever his Okaa-san decided to cook would always smell like heaven when they returned home and every single day he would anticipate his return home the very second that he and Yuichi started their walk from school.

'I was wondering where my two sons were, Ichigo, and I almost came looking for you myself. So did you have any troubles today?' Shaking his head in the negative at the question, the youngest of the two Kurosaki children understood exactly what his mother meant with those words as he leaned into a warm embrace and patiently stood still as his mother cupped his cheeks in the palm of her hands to inspect his face for any injuries. When she found none, Masaki pressed an affectionate kiss to the perpetual scowl traced in her youngest son's brow before straightening his school blazer and pointing him in the direction of the basin. 'Wash your hands, Ichigo and please be so kind as to prepare some tea. We have a guest tonight and dinner will be served in a little while. I'm sure your brother can set an extra place at the table when he decides to join us.' Frowning absently at those words, Ichigo nodded absently as he did as he was told. He was deeply perplexed though, it was rare for them to have guests that were not related to their family and he hadn't sensed any two of the Ishidas in their home. Just as he was about to ask who it could be, he was interrupted by Yuichi's footsteps when the older of the two stepped inside the kitchen to exchange a greeting with their mother.

'Is there someone here, Okaa-san? I don't recognize the boots by the door―.'

'I apologize for the intrusion into your home, Kurosaki-san. I would call it a privilege to stand in the presence of your sons.' Turning around at the sound of an unfamiliar tenor, surprised chocolate brown eyes landed upon the tall blonde haired man that stepped into the kitchen with a polite and refined bow. The first thing that registered in Ichigo's mind was that the man had to be foreign; his length, the colour of his hair and piercing blue eyes gave that away in an instant. The second thing he registered was the sheer magnitude of the man's reiatsu and the intricate, slightly familiar uniform of white that peaked out from beneath an impressive cloak of the same colour. 'My name is Jugram Haschwalth, I am Stern Ritter 'B'. The grandmaster of His Majesty's soldiers and so aptly named his 'Balancer'(4*). You may call me Haschwalth if you wish, and I am here to extend an invitation on behalf of the Quincy King Yhwach for your sons to join the Wandenreich (5*) before we make our first move on Seireitei two months from now.'

'His Majesty's offer, of course, will extend the promise of safety to the rest of your family and a place of high esteem in our ranks.'

* * *

Bathed hauntingly in the rays of a silvery moon, a deeply contemplative figure was caught sitting upright in a sprawl of light blue sheets and a soft white duvet. Chocolate brown eyes were gazing up at a darkened night sky outside of a closed window, light blue curtains not yet having been drawn shut as tanned skin shimmered softly in flowing but fairly dim light. The moon phase that night was a waxing crescent, throwing up cool shadows across Karakura Town and a sense of looming trouble before Ichigo curled his arms around one of his propped up legs and shifted to fold the other beneath him. It was fairly cold as well, several shivers chasing across long limbs before the messy orange haired teen forcibly brought himself back under control and allowed several shaky sighs to spill passed parted petal pink lips. Pearly beads of sweat were clinging to the skin of his forehead, vibrant orange strands sticking to pale skin and throbbing temples before he eventually pressed his forehead against a drawn up knee and struggled to regulate his stuttering breaths. Chasing away the distressing images that swirled so painfully and frightfully against the back of his eyelids wasn't easy, he found...especially because of everything that had happened that day.

_'We're going to play a little game, Ichigo.'_ A nostalgic voice echoed inside his head, the vivid image of chocolate brown eyes doused in dark seriousness pressing against the backs of his clenched eyelids as Ichigo recalled the last image that he had witnessed beside Karakura River eight years ago. _'You are going to close your eyes and stay as quiet and calm as you can, no matter what you hear okay?'_ Innocent child that he was at the time, the small orange haired nine-year-old hadn't done as he had been told to do. Ichigo could remember that day very clearly, it had been raining so much and he had been very sick at school for some reason. Running a fever, being separated from Yuichi in class and then being told that he had to be sent home had more than unsettled the youngest Kurosaki, it had made him fairly frustrated and disobedient when his Tou-chan had come to fetch him not long after ten in the morning. Isshin had still been dressed in his white doctor's coat, a large black umbrella held in his hand and Ichigo's warm dark blue coat in the other. The sensation of his firm grip as they had began their walk home, the scent of his father when Isshin had wrapped his dark green scarf around his son's neck and the soothing presence that Ichigo had always felt next to the spiky black haired man...

It had all been shattered to pieces when they had passed the bridge across the river. The sight of those large shoji doors appearing out of thin air, the terrifying sensation of pressure that had nearly crushed him, the white haired child and blonde haired woman that had stepped out and Tou-chan that had pulled him into his arms before moving so fast that Ichigo had felt sick...he could remember it all. The 'feeling' of Isshin had also changed in that instant, Ichigo had wondered why his father had been clad in black robes and a flowing white coat when he had been dressed in normal clothes mere moments before. He just hadn't been able to make the connection of why there had been a number ten emblazoned on his father's back. His soft, child-like question had never been answered in those moments though, because they had come to a halt beneath the shelter of the bridge and the sturdy banks before his father had hidden him behind a wall of blue light and wrapped Ichigo's shivering form in a black cloak. That game that they were supposed to have been playing, it had only taken the nine-year-old minutes to realize that it hadn't been a game at all but a very real and frightening situation bathed in blood and overwhelming power.

The battle that had broken out, even when Ichigo had been told not to look, had been something he could never forget. Every second of it had seared sheer terror into his heart, burned a vast magnitude of fear into his soul and had increased his child-like need to protect his father that _always_ protected him. He hadn't been able to obey Tou-chan's words in the end... Ichigo had screamed, cried, clawed at that wall of blue light until it had shattered and he had managed break through it. That had been the biggest mistake he had ever made in his entire life. It had been that exact instant where he had rushed towards Isshin that _everything_ had gone horribly wrong. So much blood, there had been so much blood...it had flowed in rivers from Isshin's back as he had bent over his son protectively.

_'Don't be afraid, Ichigo.'_ The soothing baritone had whispered with strain._ 'You have to stay quiet son, Daddy can only cast that barrier one more time. Be a good boy for me please. I will protect you, I promise.'_ His fault, that had been his fault because his father had more than had the upper hand before Ichigo had broken free. _He_ had been the reason why his Tou-chan hadn't been able to release all his power and the reason _why_ Isshin had died by the blades of his kin. Shoving the rest of that horrifying memory deep into the back of his mind, Ichigo curled his fingertips into frustrated fists and forced himself onto his feet with shaky movements. It just had to be brought into his mind again, he thought mournfully...the_ one_ thing he would never be able to forgive himself for. Okaa-san, Yu-nii and Uncle Ryuuken had told him many times that his father's death hadn't been his fault but Ichigo would never believe them. They hadn't been there after all, hadn't seen what he had and hadn't disobeyed the words that Isshin had spoken to him mere minutes before everything had started. His mind could turn around this event for hours on end if he didn't calm himself though, so Ichigo dazedly made his way to the door and headed down the hallway in the direction of a familiar room.

Pushing open the door carefully, quiet steps led him across a soft cream carpet as sorrowful chocolate brown orbs took in the startling image that was spread so hauntingly beneath black sheets and a dark green duvet. A vast array of long orange locks was splayed evocatively around peaceful features, the identical furrow that was usually present upon both their brows, gone from his twin's forehead as pale lips remained parted in sleep. Making his way over to the side of a double bed, Ichigo pulled the covers back and slipped between the sheets before he shifted closer to his brother's form. He had hoped not to wake Yuichi with his actions but that was a useless endeavour, a deepening frown was already curling across tangerine brows as pale blue eyes fluttered open seconds later and the long orangette turned onto his side to observe his twin with bleary concern. Shivering softly when comforting arms wound around his waist and pulled him closer, Ichigo pressed his nose against a strong chest and clenched his eyes shut in an attempt to find his control again. None of them said anything, Ichigo didn't need to. And when warm lips pressed against his forehead soothingly, the younger of the two whispered the one question that had been consuming his mind since they had received a strange and unusual guest that night.

The one question that he hadn't been able to answer himself...until now...

'Should we accept, Nii-san?' Leaning into the warm palms that cupped his cheeks, Ichigo was surprised when long fingertips slipped beneath his chin and tipped his head back gently. Having just enough light to read the depths of chocolate brown orbs for himself, Yuichi sighed softly as he twined their legs together intimately and pressed his forehead against another comfortingly. 'Do you think you are strong enough to stand against Soul Society, Ichigo,_ without_ holding back? Can you leave your compassion behind and entrust the _entirety_ of your soul to Zangetsu? This won't be a game Otouto, we're not children anymore and this time, we'll have to release not only the power that Urahara-san seals away but you'll be gaining something else entirely. So, are _you_ ready Ichigo?' Speaking only the truth in one three letter word, Ichigo was deeply comforted when the oldest of the Kurosaki children smiled encouragingly and pulled the warmth of the duvet more firmly around their forms. Winding his beloved in a warm embrace that was meant to offer the reassurance and love Ichigo had sought out when he had come here, chocolate brown eyes could find nothing but sheer determination and pride burning in beautiful pale blue depths.

'Then we accept, Otouto. Haschwalth said that he'll come collect us in two days if were agree. But...you are aware, Ichi, that we are going to be wearing the white uniforms that Uryuu's been making for us religiously since we were young right?' Practically feeling the noise of irritation Ichigo made through his clothes, Yuichi chuckled softly as his twin burrowed himself further beneath the sheets and pressed their forms closer together than before. In those last moments of sweet reprieve before their world was sure to be thrown into chaos, Yuichi and Ichigo allowed themselves to be enveloped in a bubble of pure comfort and eternal understanding. It was what mattered the most after all...

Yes, things would surely be changing irrevocably but as long as they had each other; they would take on not only their demons but the demons who had torn apart their family since they had been very young. Bathing their world in darkness and blood, it was finally time to give back the despair they had suffered at the hands of souls who were meant to protect them.

* * *

1* - Otouto – Little Brother

2* - Meinichi – Death Anniversary

3* - Tadiama – A greeting one uses when returning home in Japan, meaning 'I'm home' that is usually welcomed with 'Okearinasai' which means 'welcome home'

4* - 'Balancer' – Every Stern Ritter is given a letter. Now I know that Haschwalth's 'name' that goes with the letter 'B' hasn't been revealed yet but since his powers has something to with scales, a sword and he's always talking about the scales of justice, I'm just making an educated guess of what his affiliated name with his letter is. (If I'm wrong, I'll come fix it when it has been revealed in the Manga)  
5* - Wandenreich – The Shadow Empire

Well, there you have it my honeys. Thank you for reading, I really appreciate it. If you'd be so kind as to offer me a little review for my hard work, I'd be eternally grateful to you. Other than that, I'm done. I don't know what I'm going to update next and I can't choose yet so I'll see you again in a little while but please know that I REALLY love this story. It won't be abandoned.

I'm might even write chapter 2 starting tomorrow since I've gotten caught in its claws so deeply. But, we'll see. My life's not completely right side up quite yet. For all the supportive messages, thank you and for being so patient with me whilst I work my way through life upsets.

I hope to see you soon:

Chocolate Carnival


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